wanted to know this animal as intimately as
a human could. Really close contact was pos
sible only in the whale's medium-the sea.
In the water I would be relatively helpless.
S:To
be safe, I would have to be completely
accepted by the animal. I must get him used
to my presence, even to count on it.
After we finally got Namu to the aquarium
at Pier 56 in Seattle, I spent long hours on the
catwalk of his floating cage watching him,
studying his behavior, noting his moods.
I began by rowing a small boat about the
whale's pen. At first this made Namu nervous
and he would sulk on the bottom. When the
whale accepted the boat, I then approached
him in a small rubber raft. Soon the animal
allowed me to touch and pet him.
Within a few days, instead of my pursuing
the orca, he was chasing me. Yet never did
he make the slightest aggressive gesture with
mouth, teeth, or mighty tail flukes. It was like
Bow and arrow shoots a massive dose of
vitamin-B complex into Namu to perk up a
lagging appetite. Research technician Darrell
Bills fires the syringe. Below, Mr. Griffin
mans oars as an assistant removes the dart.
Prowling the jade-green waters of Puget Sound, Na
mu inspects photographer Schulke as he takes this rare
underwater photograph at close quarters. Eyes far back
on the head (under the white patch) enable the killer
whale to see sideways as well as straight ahead.
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